Under 23's

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

They will get their opportunities in due course. The very idea of having such quality coming though 5 or 6 years ago would have had you certified.

We already have 4 in the first team squad who play - Phillips, Struijk, Meslier and Shackleton.

Think Summerville did enough the other night to get more minutes and others must be knocking on the door.

[WTF11]

They will get their opportunities in due course. The very idea of having such quality coming though 5 or 6 years ago would have had you certified.

We already have 4 in the first team squad who play - Phillips, Struijk, Meslier and Shackleton.

Think Summerville did enough the other night to get more minutes and others must be knocking on the door.

At the risk of sounding negative (heaven forfend!), NONE of the names you mention have been given 1st team game time as part of a plan, but as a result of bans or injuries to the 1st team players they are taking the place of, hence what I've said before about "graduation" only happening "in extremis" not as part of planned improvement (to player and 1st team).

Shackleton is just as capable as Koch and will I'm sure (given the opportunity) be as good as Llorente (if and when he is fit), yet labours in the U23s for quite some time, used in a (very) limited capacity in the 1st team (despite the club website listing him as a full1st team squad member), only to see both the aforementioned brought in and put straight into the 1st team, as has Firpo despite none having any time in English leagues beforehand (and look where that is leading us with both). Cresswell has captained the U23s to the Premier League 2 Division 2 title and was co-nominee for the Premier League 2 Player of the Season award, yet sees Firpo drafted in as replacement for Alioski.

MT mentions player mental health/well being in her post regarding an "interesting" season ahead. Just what does the aforementioned drafting in of untested/unproven newcomers straight into the 1st team do to the mental well-being of players in the "junior" ranks who have laboured away under the demanding training regime Bielsa has installed for all Leeds players whatever their level, and who then see those very same players fall by the wayside, unable to cope with the demands of such training and those of the English leagues, arguably some of the hardest and most demanding in the world?